Led by Henri Matisse and André Derain, the 20th century Fauvism movement burst onto the art scene with a strong mix of neo-Impressionism and a penchant for a painterly aesthetic. Fauvism lasted for only a few short years from 1904-1908, but the movement is rich with historic works that many contemporary artists look to for guidance and inspiration. The artist Josh Byer is no different, reinterpreting the movement’s signature non-realist approach to create a series of Faux Fauvism paintings. Filled with mesmerizing swirls and hidden Easter-egg images, Byers’ pieces are loud, energetic, and addictive to view. Each work tumbles before the eyes like an electric maze.
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The Canadian artist chooses to splash and twist snake-like characters through all kinds of environments, from the typical urban street scenes to the less recognizable surfaces of the moon. Byer weaves his Faux Fauvism through both real and unreal places, but he consistently pays keen attention to space and canvas breadth. His works cover every surface completely, never missing a chance to fill a painting with as much complex design.Byer shares with The Creators Project his artistic pursuit behind the series: “The goal of Faux Fauvism is to pinpoint the moment in cognition when pattern recognition occurs. When Faux Fauvism is succeeding, it triggers a ‘cloud gazing’ effect: a state when the viewer is unable to determine whether they are projecting an image into reality, or if reality is projecting its image into them.”View some of Byer’s dizzying works below:
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